Under the Full Moon
by Bingalicious Midnight
Summary: When Lily joins the Marauders on a full moon expedition, things go badly, to say the least.
1. A Bad Idea

_**UNDER THE FULL MOON**_

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Okay… this fic will probably become somewhat AU as it progresses, and a romance should also develop (I haven't decided on the pairing… it may be JP/LE, or I may be more creative).

Anyway, here's the basic summary: James is convinced to invite Lily along on a Marauder full moon expedition. Unfortunately, things don't go as planned.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter (or friends, family, place of residence, etc, etc)

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_CHAPTER ONE – A BAD IDEA

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Sirius poked Remus hard in the ribs, causing his friend to look up from his book in annoyance.

"What was that for?" Remus demanded.

Sirius pretended to look around the Common Room and whistle innocently. Then he turned to Remus and smiled as if he'd just seen him. "What?" Sirius asked. "Who? Me?"

Remus rolled his eyes, shook his head, and returned to reading.

Sirius sat on the edge of his chair and reached down to James, who was, who was doing his homework on the floor. He gave James a hard poke in the shoulder. James ignored him. Sirius did the same to Peter, though Peter was already watching him prod the others.

Sirius cleared his throat. "Now that I have your attention," he said loudly. Everyone but Peter continued to ignore him. "Now that I have your attention, Remus and James," he repeated. His friends looked at him.

"Yes?" James asked, setting his quill down next to his parchment.

"You all know what tomorrow is, right?" Sirius grinned.

Remus sat his book face down on the floor, open to the page he had been reading. "Of _course_ we know what tomorrow is," he said.

"Well, don't you think we should discuss our… plans?" Sirius asked. "I mean, we won't be able to do much talking when we're transformed—ow! Why did you do that?"

James had punched his hard in the shin. "Talk a little quieter, will you?" he said irritable. "Do you want all of Gryffindor to know what we do on full moons?"

Sirius snorted. The only other people in the Common Room were a couple sitting by the fire. They were so busy snogging that Sirius doubted they could eavesdrop if they wanted to. He told James this.

"Alright," James said resignedly.

"Anyway," Sirius continued as if there had been no interruption, "Where do you want to go tomorrow?"

"Well," said Peter, "We haven't been to the Forbidden Forest in a while."

James shifted hi head from side to side, considering. "I don't know… I was thinking we could head up past the lake."

"Sounds good to me," Sirius said.

Remus shrugged. "I'll go wherever you herd me, you know that," he said, suddenly morose. The stress was ever so subtly on 'herd.'

Sirius patted him consolingly on the shoulder. "What are you talking about? We're following you half the time."

Remus made a sour face.

"Really, Mooney," James said, "We're not herding you at all. We barely do anything. You hardly act like a werewolf. So don't worry about it."

"Yeah," Peter echoed. "Don't worry."

Remus rubbed his forehead. "I'm not _worried_… just… I wish you didn't have to keep me in line whenever we go anywhere."

"Mooney—" Sirius began.

Further conversation was cut short by the entrance of a large group of girls. James craned his head, obviously looking for someone, and Remus picked up on this immediately.

"Not there, is she?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Who?" James asked, hurriedly turning his head back to the Marauders and straightening his glasses.

"Oh, who could he be talking about," Sirius asked sarcastically. "This one has me on the edge of my seat."

James swatted at Sirius, but because James was on the floor and Sirius was in a chair, he missed completely. "I don't see why you feel the need to make fun of me," he said. "I'm _allowed_ to like girls."

"It's only funny because she hates you," Remus explained.

"I wish _I_ had a girlfriend," Peter said wistfully.

"You'll get one eventually," Sirius comforted him. "You're lovable… in your own way…" he turned to James. "What about you? Do you need reassuring about anything? I've done Mooney and wormtail tonight, I'm getting wuite good. Is Evans bringing you down, perhaps?"

"You don't need to 'reassure me,'" said James. The large group of girls had gone to their dormitory and James checked his watch. "Oh, I think it's time for bed," he said. "So we're decided? We're going past the lake?"

Mooney, Wormtail, and Padfoot nodded.

* * *

Remus was collected as usual about halfway through the last class of the afternoon. He had tried to convince Madam Pomfrey to fetch him later, as he would begin his transformation when the moon rose. However, she insisted that he sit in the infirmary for a few hours before the trip to the Shack for 'safety reasons.' 

His dinner came on a tray, and he ate it alone in a small room completely devoid of anything interesting. It was almost as if the teachers wanted him to sit here with nothing to do but anticipate the coming torments of his transformation.

Though lately he hadn't felt very tormented. Sure, he complained about being herded, but running around with his friends was infinitely better than spending a lonely, depressing night in the Shrieking Shack.

He finished his dinner (it had been meatloaf) and set his tray on a small table. Tonight he'd brought a Potions essay that he needed to finish.

Sighing loudly to himself about the two pages of parchment that he had yet to fill, he settled into his chair and began writing about the intricacies of Happiness Potions.

* * *

James drummed his fingers on the Gryffindor table. "The only problem with nights like these," he said, "is the waiting." 

"I dunno," Sirius said absently, twirling his fork in his mashed potatoes. "The walk to the Shrieking Shack is a bit bothersome."

Peter laughed, and Sirius shot him an odd stare. "My joke wasn't _that_ funny," he said. Peter shrugged.

"What about you, Wormtail," James said. "What's your least favorite part of the night?"

Peter thought for a moment. "I suppose it's when we first open the door to the shack and Mooney's still a little crazy. That part seems scary."

"Mooney can't get past us," Sirius said confidently.

"I know, I know," said Peter. "But I still don't like it."

James shrugged. He'd spotted someone across the dining hall. Peter followed his gaze, and of course there stood Lily Evans, chatting with a friend.

"Why don't you ask her along?" Sirius suggested.

James blinked. "You mean tonight?"

"Why not," Sirius continued. He made his voice smooth and suggestive. "Maybe she'd like to experience the Hogwarts grounds from the back of a beautiful stag. It'd be romantic."

"Are you sure about that?" Peter asked. "It's dangerous. And what about Remus? What if he bit her?"

Sirius shrugged. "It was just an idea," he said defensively. "After all, I can get Mooney from the Shack myself, and by the time we get to Hogwarts he's usually sane. And if he does go a little crazy, I can control him, and people _bond_ over adventure." He winked at James. "What do you say?"

James shook his head in disbelief. "I say no! There is no way we could do this safely. And then she'd know about Remus. She'd probably just turn us in."

"You really don't think that highly of her, do you?" Sirius asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Sirius began as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "You seem to think she'd turn you in for an exhilarating ride on the back of a stag—under the fool moon, I might add—in the refreshingly cool hours of the night. You wouldn't believe that if you thought highly of her."

"Obviously that's not why I think she'd turn us in," James retorted scathingly. "She's a good student. She'd turn us in for running around with a werewolf, for being unregistered Animagi, for being away from our bed in the middle of the night… the list goes on an on."

Sirius sighed, then shrugged. "You don't have to be so snippy," he said." I was just trying to land you the girl of your dreams."

"Or turn her into a werewolf," Peter added.

Sirius threw up his hands and looked to the ceiling in mock disgust. "Fine! You're all against me! I think I'll go… die in a hole, or something!" he cried dramatically. Then, in a normal tone, he added, "So, any ideas as to what you want to do once we're past the lake?"

James shrugged. He was glad that Sirius was done trying to convince him to bring Lily along. The idea was strangely appealing, though.

Peter said, "I don't know… maybe we could try to lure the Squid up to that end of the lake."

"Alright," Sirius said, "I was thinking we could see how far we can get. Three might be something interesting up that way. What do you think, Prongs?" For James was staring at a spot of table next to Peter's plate that didn't seem very interesting to Sirius.

James was shaken out of his thoughts. "What? Yeah, that sounds good." He returned his gaze to the table.

Sirius waved a hand in front of his face. "Hello? What are you thinking about?"

James looked up again. "I don't know, really. I guess your idea could be… romantic. If it worked, that is, and I don't think that it can work."

Sirius's eyes lit up. He'd thought that James had abandoned the whole idea. He ginned and said, "So you're actually considering it?"

"No," James answered automatically.

Sirius traded glances with Peter (though Sirius's glance was triumphant and Peter's was worried). "Whatever you say, James. But if you reach a decision during your not-considering, let me know."

"Oh, shut up," James said, and fell silent again.

Sirius said to Peter in a stage whisper, "I think he wants to do it."

Peter replied in the same tone, "If he does, he's mad."

"But girls _like_ the mad boys," Sirius replied. "For example, I'm mad, and girls like me. You act completely normal, and girls don't fancy you much. James is kind of mad and kind of normal, so some girls like him. But not Evans, who probably wants a completely mad boy."

"That's odd," James said sarcastically. "I thought I heard you two whispering."

Sirius ignored him. "Don't interrupt his not-considering," he advised Peter.

"I've decided," James said.

Immediately Sirius's attention snapped back to James. "And?"

"And I'm not doing it," James finished.

Sirius looked hurt, and for a moment James almost felt bad. "But didn't you hear Wormtail and me talking about mad boys?" Sirius asked.

James rolled his eyes. "If anything, that made up my mind. Lily won't like me any more than she does now if I act mad."

Sirius leaned over the table and whispered conspiratorially, "She doesn't like you anyway." He sat back in his chair and added, "So what have you got to lose?"

"Do we really have to get into this again?" James asked.

Suddenly the remnants of the meal disappeared from the plates. James watched Lily and her friends stand up to leave. "Last chance," Sirius said.

James simply shook his head.

* * *

James, Sirius, and Peter returned to their spots in the Common Room. The conversation had moved away from Sirius's idea, but it still nagged in the back of James's mind. Maybe he really didn't have anything to lose. 

But Lily did… and what if Mooney bit her?

Sirius probably could control Remus, though, especially when the werewolf was in one of his sane moments.

He sighed and closed his eyes. Why did this seem like a good idea? Every rational part of his mind told him it wasn't, and yet he wanted to do it. Maybe he believed that it really could work. That Lily would like him.

And honestly, what did he have to lose?

"Sirius?" he asked.

Sirius looked up from a particularly nasty piece of Charms homework that he'd conveniently forgotten until the night before it was due.

"Are you sure you can control Mooney by yourself?" James asked.

A slow grin spread across Sirius's face when he realized the implications of James's question. "Of course I can," he said. "Now go find her before it's too late."

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Reviews will make me do a happy dance. 


	2. A Dangerous Invitation

_**UNDER THE FULL MOON

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Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction.

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_CHAPTER TWO – A DANGEROUS INVITATION

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James started to walk towards the portrait hole. Sirius smirked at Peter, who only gave a tentative smile back. Suddenly, from about halfway across the Common Room, James turned and called, "But what do I say?"

Sirius beckoned for him to come back. James complied, his eyes wide under his glasses.

"Alright," Sirius began. "Think. You know her pretty well. What would it take for her to do something you want?"

"I don't know!" James said. "She doesn't want anything from me!"

"Except to be left alone," Peter laughed. James shot him an annoyed glance.

Sirius nodded. "Actually, Prongs, you could promise never to bother her again. Or something of the sort." He checked his watch. "But will you go now? And hurry?"

James started across the room again, and this time he made it through the portrait hole.

Sirius looked at Peter. "I bet she won't even want to come."

* * *

The Marauder's Map said that Lily was in the library. James walked quickly, but his destination was far enough away that he had time to think—and worry—about his task. What could he say? He supposed he _could_ tell her that he would never bother her again, but he didn't want to leave her alone. Maybe he could say that if she didn't have a good time, he would stop pestering her.

Well, if she didn't have a good time, she probably never would talk to him again as well as turn them all in. What was he thinking?

His feet brought him to the library sooner than he might have liked. He stood outside, checking the Map again, half-hoping that she'd decided to go somewhere else—somewhere that he couldn't follow, like the girl's bathroom—but the Map said that she still sat at one of the small round tables in the library.

James was thankful that she was at least alone.

He hesitated behind the bookshelf, very aware that he still didn't know what to say. Then he stepped out into Lily's view and cleared his throat.

Lily looked up, and she didn't seem too happy about her visitor. Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't say anything.

"Hello," James said awkwardly.

"What do you want, James?" Lily asked.

"Actually, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go somewhere tonight?" This hurried proposition came out in one breath.

"And where did you have in mind?" Lily asked. "I suppose you're going to take me somewhere and show me how to torture unfortunate students like Severus?"

James winced. This was going even worse than he'd imagined. But he kept his voice somewhat even as he replied, "You know, I haven't done that for a long time. Not since…not since you saw me a few months ago. I'm, uh, quitting."

Actually, he'd made a point to only harass Snape and other outcasts when Lily or her friends weren't around. But she couldn't know that, could she?

"Really," Lily said. She didn't sound impressed.

"Well, actually, the place I want you to go… I mean, if you want to go you'll have to be able to keep a secret." The words came out in a disorganized tumble that made James wish for his Invisbility Cloak.

"You want me to do something illegal, don't you?" Lily guessed.

James shook his head quickly. "No, I don't _think_ it's illegal," (Lily raised her eyebrows) "but it does involve breaking some school rules."

"Why do you want me there?" asked Lily.

James took a deep breath. "If I tell you my secret now, will you promise not to repeat it?"

"Only if it isn't going to harm anyone."

"It won't," James assured her. "I'm an unregistered Animagus."

Lily snorted. Her mouth twitched as if she were trying not to smile. "Good for you, James," she said. "And what do you become?"

James said nothing, hoping the library was as deserted as it had been when he'd entered. He concentrated, falling into the trance-like state he still needed to transform. He heard Lily gasp involuntarily.

"You… are," she said.

James concentrated again, and became himself. Transforming from stag to human was much easier than the other way around.

He smiled, suddenly much less nervous. Maybe it was something about transforming, or maybe it was the awed way in which Lily was staring at him. "My friends are also Animagi," he said. "And on some nights, we explore the Hogwarts grounds. It's very pretty at night. Would you like to come?"

"I—" For once Lily seemed lost for words. Finally, she swallowed and said, "No."

"What?" James asked.

"No." Lily sounded more decided now. "I mean, that's a wonderful little trick you've got going, but I don't want to break rules with _you_."

"Please?" James asked.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Oh, now I'll do it. Really, James, you can go away." She turned back to her library book.

"Um," said James, thinking fast. Sirius's advice was the only thing that came to mind, so, grimacing, he said, "If you come now, and don't enjoy it, I'll never bother you again."

Lily looked up, and James gave her a small, encouraging smile. She was silent for a moment, no doubt considering his offer.

The she took a deep breath and said resignedly, "Fine. But you really have to leave me alone starting tomorrow." A worried look crossed her face. "You've never been caught, have you?"

"Does it look like I've been caught?" James asked, now grinning fully.

"I must be insane," Lily said, more to herself than to James, as she stood up. She closed her book and put it in her bag. "Where are we going?"

* * *

James tried not to jump for joy as he led Lily back to the Common Room. However, he couldn't prevent his step from having a slight bounce as he walked. Lily no doubt thought he was crazy, but she had agreed to come, hadn't she? Maybe Sirius was right, and this would be romantic.

"How many of you are Animagi?" Lily asked.

"Me, Sirius, and Peter," James answered.

"Not Remus?"

"Well…" James stalled. This was the hard part. Once she knew about Remus, she probably wouldn't come, and might turn them in. "Um, he's something else. He's a, uh, well, this is another one of those secrets you're going to have to keep."

Lily sighed. "How many of these delightful secrets are there?"

"Just these, I think," James answered quickly. "But, can you also promise not to worry too much when I tell you this one?"

"Is it illegal?" Lily stopped walking, and stood with her hands on her hips.

James halted as well. "No, it's not illegal. None of us are doing anything illegal. Actually, Remus is a werewolf," he finished as casually as he could.

Lily's jaw dropped. She seemed, once again, lost for words. "Tell me you're kidding," she finally pleaded.

James shook his head. "But," he added, "Sirius and I can control him easily, and when he's with us, he's not out for blood or anything. I swear, you don't have to worry." James began to walk again, hoping Lily would take the hint and follow suit. But she continued to stand in the middle of the hallway.

James stopped again and turned to her. "We do this every month, it's practically down to a science," he said. His voice had more of a begging undertone than he'd wanted.

"Every month for how long?" Lily asked.

"Since we've been Animagi," James said vaguely. "Listen, Lily, we won't let anything happen to you. He's still Remus when he's transformed, and he knows us and listens to us."

"James," Lily began, "I read the chapter on werewolves when we were thirteen. They're barely themselves when they're transformed—"

"—unless they are with loved ones and have the right personality. Which is exactly the case with Remus. And if, for some reason, he decides to act completely different than he usually does and attacks one of us, Sirius will fend him off and we'll run."

Lily looked very doubtful. There was a long moment of silence. James worried that if he broke it, she would come to a decision that he didn't want. Finally Lily was the one to break the moment of quiet.

"I suppose," she said slowly. "And I'm only doing this because I know you're _hopelessly_ in love with me, and if you thought this was actually dangerous, you wouldn't ask me to come."

"It's not _hopeless_," James muttered defensively, but he was too elated that she was coming to remain annoyed for long. "But alright, the rest of it is true. So are you coming?"

"Will you really never bother me again?" Lily asked in response.

"Only if you don't have a good time," said James.

They began walking, this time in silence, toward the Gryffindor Common Room.

* * *

"There you are!" Sirius exclaimed, jumping up from his red velvety chair. "I thought you'd never get here. Oh, hello, Lily."

"Hello, Sirius," she said flatly, sounding about as unenthused as a person could be.

Sirius raised his eyebrows and addressed James. "So does she know the plan?"

Shaking his head, James said, "No, not yet."

"Alright-y then," Sirius said, rubbing his hands together and sitting back in his chair. "We all go out, under James's invisibility clock, and wait for Madam Pomfrey to come back from the Whomping Willow. Once she's inside, James and I usually go to the Shrieking Shack and fetch Mooney—Remus," Sirius added, looking at Lily. "After that, it's all fun. Though tonight, I'll be going in to get Mooney, and the rest of you will stay outside. "

Lily blinked. "Invisibility cloak? Whomping Willow? Shrieking Shack? Was anyone planning on telling me about these things?"

James explained apologetically.

When he was done, Sirius looked at his watch again. The other Gryffindors had gone to the dormitories and the fire had become a glowing mess of embers. "I think it's time to go," Sirius said.

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If you give me a review, I'll give you a hug. (Just kidding) 


	3. An Awkward Conversation

_**UNDER THE FULL MOON**_

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Disclaimer: If I had a million dollars, I still wouldn't own Harry Potter…

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_CHAPTER THREE – A BAD DATE_

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Remus trailed behind Madam Pomfrey as she led him out onto the grounds. The sun was sending its last tendrils over the surrounding mountains, casting a long, tapered shadow behind him. The apprehension crept up in his stomach, like it always did, as he walked away from the castle under the setting sun. A jolt ran through him as the Whomping Willow came into view. He'd done this for so many moons, and yet, each month, he wondered if this time something would go wrong.

Madam Pomfrey walked surprisingly fast for a middle-aged woman, and Remus had to lengthen his strides to keep up.

"How are you?" Madam Pomfrey asked as they reached the Willow. "Are you ready?"

Remus shrugged. "As ready as I'll ever be," he said.

With a nod and a reassuring smile, Madam Pompfrey said, "That's all we can hope for. Good luck."

Every month, since he had been a terrified first year, Madam Pomfrey had wished Remus good luck. It had become something of a tradition, and Remus replied with his usual clipped "Thanks."

Madam Pomfrey picked up a long stick and held it in one hand outstretched toward the Willow. She reminded Remus eerily of a fencer holding a sword. The tree, which had been whipping about over their heads, came to an abrupt stop as the tip of the branch touched its magical knot.

"Let's go, then," Madam Pomfrey said unceremoniously. Without another word she disappeared into the passageway. Remus followed closely.

The heavy dirt walls of the passage made Remus shiver.

Hogwarts had received torrential amounts of rain this autumn, and the walls were dark with moisture. Madam Pomfrey's _lumos_ spell, which uauslly emitted a cheerily warm light, only made the tiny droplets of water condensed on the dirt walls glisten. The cheer and the warmth were nowhere to be found.

They walked silently for quite a while, and Remus found himself wondering if the moon was rising yet. They had always made it to the Shrieking Shack in time, but what if something went wrong?

An illogical feeling of dread felt almost as heavy and oppressing as the walls of the tunnel.

Remus breathed a quiet sigh of relief as the door to the Shack came into view. Now Madam Pomfrey stood aside and let Remus pass.

"I'll be back in the morning," she said.

Remus nodded and entered into the Shrieking Shack.

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The air was crisp and cool, and for once the sky wasn't threatening to downpour. Sirius smiled and shook his head at the ecstatic grin James had plastered over his face. It was because he was walking next to Lily, no doubt.

"So, at what point will you all transform?" Lily asked in a shaky voice.

"When we get to the Whomping Willow," James answered.

"Which, as you may see, we are nearing," Sirius commented, pointed at a large tree that was coming into view. The Willow was docile at the moment, though it appeared to be swaying against the wind and twitching its small branches.

"Didn't someone nearly get killed by that tree?" Lily asked.

"_He_ didn't know how to freeze it." Sirius said.

Lily's wide-eyed glance told Sirius that she wasn't assured.

As soon as they were near enough to the Willow that it began to swing toward them, Peter changed into a rat. He was becoming quite good, Sirius realized, especially compared to the slow, tedious transformations he'd managed when they begun.

Peter ran toward the tree, a tiny blob of gray-brown illuminated in the pale light of the moon. His tail followed like a limp worm.

The Whomping Willow suddenly ceased its movement. Peter changed to himself and jogged slowly back to the others. "Voila!" he exclaimed, spreading his arms wide.

Sirius and James laughed, but Lily only managed a thin smile.

Sirius turned around to face his friends, his back to the Willow. "I suppose I'll see you later," he said. "And I'll bring Mooney with me. Actually, Peter, why don't you come?"

"Why?" asked Peter.

Sirius leaned toward him and hissed in his ear, "So we can leave the _looovebirds_ alone!"

Snorting in amusement (because James and Lily were about as far from lovebirds as people could be), Peter nodded.

"What'd you say?" James demanded.

"Oh, nothing, nothing," said Sirius breezily, in the haughty voice his mother used when talking to salesmen. "Now Peter and I are off to fetch our absent friend. Goodbye!" And he walked into the passageway without looking back. Peter, laughing harder than ever, ran doubled over with giggles behind him.

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"What was that all about?" asked Lily.

"I dunno," James replied easily, smoothing back his hair (which blatantly ignored his efforts and stuck up again), "Sirius jokes around a lot. Half the time _I_ don't know what he's talking about."

"Like now?"

"Like now."

An uncomfortable silence descended. James cleared his throat and jammed his hands in his pockets. "So, Lily… how's the year been going for you?"

"Fine, I suppose," Lily answered.

James bobbed his head up and down. "Well… that's good." He looked up to the sky. "Moon's nice tonight, isn't it?"

"Yes, it's nice," Lily answered vacantly. "I wish it didn't mean your friend is a werewolf, though."

"I think we all wish that," said James.

Lily turned her gaze from the moon to the grass, and James was struck again by how beautiful she was. Maybe tonight…

"So," Lily said slowly. "How had your year been so far?"

"Alright," James answered, "though I had a lot of detention last month when I blew up the toilets in the girls' bathroom."

James could just barely see Lily's expression in the moonlight, and it was not approving.

"It was a joke!" James defended himself quickly.

Lily stared at him for a moment without saying anything. Then, "I was wondering who did that… was it a joke on _anyone_ in particular?"

"Well," James. A blush was creeping slowly up his cheeks, and he hoped that it was invisible in the dark. He knew how much she hated his pranks when they were aimed at someone. "Only sort of, I suppose. There was this one girl… and she asked Sirius out… and we really didn't like her. So, um, we realized she used that bathroom a lot—more than any one person should, really, I swear she went every class—and we blew up some toilets to bother her."

Lily was shaking her head in what looked like disgust. Her fierce green eyes bored into James's. "I can't believe you did that."

James shrugged. "Sorry," he mumbled. "It's wasn't a really big deal, though. She just used the other bathrooms."

"No, I'm serious!" Lily said, more loudly this time. "You inconvenienced every girl who needed to use that bathroom, for a ridiculous prank! And not even a justified one. Some poor girl had enough courage to tell your friend that she fancied him, and you tried to hurt her? You're—"

"Lily—" James interrupted.

"I'm not done," she said. "You're disgusting. You've asked me out more times than I care to think about, and have I _ever_ tried to hurt you? Of course not. I was even flattered at first. Now—now I'm annoyed and disgusted. I want to go back to the castle right now, but I'm going to see this through so you don't bother me tomorrow."

James rubbed his forehead with his hand. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.

"I'm sure you are," Lily retorted. She walked a few paces away and sat down on the grass, facing away from James.

James remained standing, though his shoulders slumped and his arms dangled dejectedly. A sinking feeling settled over his chest and he wished he could take back words.

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Remus was lost to the world. He howled and screamed and tore at everything. But the chair was grainy and splintery in his mouth, and the bed offered nothing. Only human flesh could satisfy him, and going out into the moon. There were fleshy, meaty people outside of the Shack, he somehow knew. A far off part of his mind called it Hogsmeade.

Frankly, he didn't care what it was called.

He threw himself bodily at the wall, screeching with anger and pain as he slammed into unforgiving wooden planks. He ran to the other side of the room now, ramming his head into a piece of unidentifiable furniture.

He needed to be out of this little prison. He needed to be under the moon. He needed human flesh and blood.

He grabbed the curtains that still hung by the boarded windows in his teeth, tearing at them with sharp teeth and a hungry jaw.

That was it. Hungry. He was hungry for the moon and blood.

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"That was _exellent_!" Peter exclaimed, hurrying to catch up with Sirius's bobbing light. "Lovebirds?" He nearly collapsed in fit of giggles.

Peter's laughter was contagious, and before long Sirius was hooting as well. In a spasm of laughter, he slapped the dank, muddy wall with his free hand as he nearly ran into it.

As he pulled his hand away from the passage wall, he realized it was coated in a thin layer of mud. He held it up to his face to examine it, then said in as serious a tone as he could muster, "Peter, want to shake my hand?"

"Not really. Why?" Peter replied.

"Oh, nothing," Sirius said airily. He patted Peter's cheek, leaving a muddy handprint on the other boy's face.

Peter swiped a hand across his face, noticed the mud, and for some reason unknown to Sirius began to laugh again. Peter wiped as much of the mud as he could from his face and transferred it onto Sirius's robes.

"Revenge!" Peter exclaimed.

They laughed their way up part of the passageway, and when they calmed down, they talked about nothing in particular—classes, girls, happenings in the Gryffindor tower. Fetching Mooney had become routine, and the Marauders barely had to discuss it.

A short while later the entrance to the Shack became visible in the light from Sirius's wand. It sobered him, as it did every month, and his thoughts immediately turned to the task of fetching Mooney.

"I suppose it's time to be serious now," he said to Peter, who was coming up behind him.

"Time to be Sirius…" Peter repeated. The pun made him titter again, and Sirius threw him a disapproving look.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

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Dun dun dun…

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And now for the reviewer replies (Which I will try to do every chapter):

smilie kylie—I'm glad you like the writing, but is there anything about the plot in particular that you don't like?

Ariennye—Unique is what I was going for...thanks for reading.

soft N' fluffy—wonderful penname, by the way. I've almost gotten to the "what will happen after that." Just keep reading, and I'll get there. :)


	4. A Werewolf Bite

_**UNDER THE FULL MOON**_

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Disclaimer: Harry Potter is a lot like really, really expensive things-- I don't own them.

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_CHAPTER FOUR – A WEREWOLF BITE_

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Sirius saw Peter change to Wormtail in the corner of his peripheral vision. His eyes and thoughts were trained on the entrance to the Shreiking Shack, and his fingers hovered, poised, over the handle that would set the werewolf free.

A nervous swallow forced itself down his throat. He had been much more confident that he could control Mooney when he'd been talking in the relative safety of the Great Hall.

Usually, Sirius would throw the hatch open and James would charge in, controlling Remus until Sirius could transform. This time he would have to open the door and transform in a split second, and then charge in himself and—for lack of a better word—herd Mooney into the tunnel.

He pulled the door open before he could talk himself out of it.

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Peter watched, crouched against the wall in rat form, as his friend threw open the door. It took Sirius a short moment to transform, but in that moment a huge, gray blur charged from the room and slammed its bulk into the great black dog.

Peter was frozen helplessly. Sirius seemed off-balance, though he fended Remus's next attack off fairly well. Perhaps this was how it usually went, Peter thought. Maybe his three friends usually fought this much before they came to where Peter waited at the entrance of the passage.

His tiny mouse features creased into a wince as Mooney's powerful jaws caught Sirius in the shoulder. Remus bit down hard, and the long, wailing cry that Sirius made sounded too painful to be good.

Remus seemed to be gaining ground as the dog and the wolf fought for what felt like a long time. Sirus was limping. Peter backed nervously down the corridor. Remus probably was too much for Padfoot alone. Peter wanted to help, but action would only get him hurt. He continued to creep backward, watching the fight with wide rat eyes.

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Mooney smelled blood, wanted blood, and the black dog was in the way. He knew the black dog, somehow, and even liked him, but tonight the kill was more important. He keened in rising frustration as the dog blocked him yet again and pain jabbed his side where the dog's teeth broke his skin.

The smell of human was so strong out of the tiny room that it enveloped his consciousness with a dreamy red haze. It was all red, except for the dog. The dog stood out, as black as night.

Mooney lunged and caught the side of the dog's face in his powerful jaw. He tugged one way and then the other while the dog howled and whined and tried to fight free. With all the strength in his lithe body, he threw the dog against the dirt wall of the passageway. The taste of the dog's blood was acrid and bitter in his mouth—nothing like the human blood he smelled.

The dog weakly tried to stand again, but Mooney rammed him against the wall once more and took off down the damp, dark, tunnel.

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James felt terrible. After a moment of standing with nothing to say, he became Prongs. He watched the tunnel entrance and played the conversation over in his head.

_How has your year been so far? Alright, though I had a lot of detention when I blew up the toilets in the girls' bathroom._

Couldn't I have said, alright, but the homework's a bit much this year? Or perhaps, it's been fine, how has your year been?

He glanced at Lily, who sat with her head in her arms. Would she tell the teachers about their monthly excursion? Obviously, she wasn't enjoying herself.

James scuffed at the ground with his front hoof and focused his eyes on the tunnel entrance. What was taking Sirius so long? The silence seemed to stretch on forever.

Mooney erupted out of the tunnel and jumped at Lily.

It took a split second for this to register in James's brain, and when it did he hurtled toward them, thrusting Mooney away with his antlers. The werewolf was lifted from the ground and fell a few feet away. Lily's screaming and Remus's snarling shriek mingled in his ears and he pushed Mooney farther away with brutal shoves of his long antlers.

Mooney fought, scratching and biting, but he was tired. James could see bloody streaks running down Mooney's gray fur, and the werewolf was panting between growls—had Remus been fighting Padfoot as well?

James forced his friend away until Lily was hidden by the crest of the hill on which they had waited. Mooney's panting had become gasping, and he shrunk before the powerful prodding of Prongs's antlers. Finally, with a doleful howl, he ran away in the opposite direction.

James stared at the retreating werewolf, making sure he didn't double back for another try. Luckily, Mooney had given up. With one last glance in the direction of his friend, James headed back to Lily at a run.

She lay crumpled in an inglorious heap. James transformed back to himself as he ran, stumbling the last few steps to land kneeling beside Lily.

She had fallen facedown, and James turned her over with shaking hands. Her delicate features were slackened in unconsciousness, and James moaned as blood oozed from the bite on her side onto his hands.

His mind was utterly blank of any spell top lift her as sobs began to wrack his frame. This was his fault, all his fault…

He gathered her up in a bundle and began to run toward the castle.

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Peter waited until Mooney was definitely gone before chancing the transformation back to himself. He cautiously approached Padfoot's limp body, still lying against the wall where Remus had thrown it.

Sirius was in sorry shape. Half of his face looked mangled, blood pooling on the tunnel floor. Numerous scratches and wounds, all of them trickling blood, covered Sirius's shaggy fur with thick, sticky liquid. One leg hung down from the barrel-like body at a strange angle.

Peter was at a complete loss as to what to do. He didn't know if he had time to run to the castle and bring back help, but he had no way of carrying the immense dog by himself.

"Sirius, just wake up, would you?" he begged aloud. "It would make things so much easier."

The dog's body didn't respond.

"I'll get help," he decided, assuring the limp form. "I'll be back, Sirius, alright?"

He set out at a tired jog toward the castle.

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Reviewer replies (okay, reviewer reply):

Hulabalooooooooo: Is that the right number of oooo's? Oh well. Thanks for reading—I'm very glad you liked. Oh yes, and here's a hug. hug!

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As for the rest of you, I'd really appreciate it if you would leave a review.


	5. A Return to School

_**UNDER THE FULL MOON**_

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Disclaimer: Oh, my gosh, I like so totally don't own Harry Potter! Uh!

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_CHAPTER Five – A _

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James's arms were tired by the time he reached the castle. He barely noticed, though, because his mind was trying to process what had just happened. Lily had been bitten. Was she a werewolf yet? Or was there time?

He shoved the door open with a shoulder, smacking the unconscious Lily's feet on the wall as he stumbled into the entrance hall.

It was eerily dark and silent, and James stared into the gloom for a moment before he started into the main part of the castle.

His breath was harsh in his own ears and he nearly tripped over every nuance in the worn floor. Lily slipped down in his arms, and he bounced her into a more comfortable position. Her head lolled and James was nearly sick.

He was a few corridors away from the infirmary when a golden glow lit up the wall around the corner. A second later, James was staring at Professor Slughorn.

He started babbling. "Professor, it's Lily, she was bitten she needs to go to the infirmary sir please help me—"

Slughorn blinked sleepily, tired from his night patrol of the corridors, shaking his head to clear it. The fat under his chin wobbled even after his head had stopped moving. "What is this, Potter?" he finally demanded. "What's happened to Lily?"

James slowed his breathing enough to talk. "Sir, it's Lily, she was bitten by Remus and I think it's too late please help me—"

"Of course, of course," Slughorn said quickly, hastening to James and taking Lily into his own arms. "She needs help."

James remembered dreams more real than the next hour or so that passed. When they arrived, the professor boomed, "Poppy! There's been a werewolf bite!" A ruffled Madam Pomfrey, still in her nightgown, had come into the infirmary from a side room and ordered Slughorn to set Lily down on a bed.

Then, while she worked on Lily, Pomfrey had questioned James about what had happened. It hadn't even occurred to James to falsify the story to make it seem as though he hadn't been so far out of bounds. Madam Pomfrey had listened in disapproving silence, asking a few questions, though James couldn't remember what they had been.

When they were done, James asked a question of his own. "Is she a werewolf?"

Madam Pomfrey had looked at him, a tired expression that had nothing to do with the time of night on her features. "Yes."

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Peter could hardly believe his eyes. James sat hunched over in a chair and Lily was sprawled out, pale and limp, on a bed. Slughorn sat across the room from James, watching Madam Pomfrey adjust something on Lily's side.

"Madam Pomfrey!" he gasped, and she looked up, surprise written on her face.

"Did the werewolf get you too?"

Peter looked down at himself, as if to make sure he was in one piece, shook his head, and said quickly, "No, no, not me, but Sirius is in the tunnel and he's hurt!"

James jumped up, his mouth open uncertainly. "Sirius too?" he asked. Peter thought he heard the beginning of a sob in James's voice.

Peter nodded, swallowing nervously. "He's still transformed—I couldn't drag him with me."

"How badly is he hurt?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

Peter haltingly described his friend's injuries. During this time, James slowly sunk back into his chair. Madam Pomfrey's response, however, was more energetic.

"Boys, stay with Lily. She's stabilized now, but make sure she doesn't roll off the bed or anything. Slughorn, wake Dumbledore and some of my other nurses. I will be retrieving Black from the tunnel."

"But what about the werewolf?" Slughorn asked nervously.

"I can take care of myself," Madam Pomfrey said curtly. "Now go."

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When the adults had left, Peter looked at James. "This is pretty bad, isn't it."

James grunted.

"I mean, won't we be in serious trouble?"

James, who had been stared vacantly at Lily's bed, snapped his attention to Peter. His mouth was twisted in a nasty scowl. "_We'll_ be in trouble?" he exploded. "It's not _us_ I'm worried about! I would hit you, but then that would be three of my friends I've hurt tonight." He gave a shuddering sigh as if the outburst had taken a lot from him and buried his face in his hands.

"I'm sorry, James," Peter said.

James looked up. "It's not your fault. It's mine. I was so stupid. I've gotten Lily turned into…into…what Remus is…and Sirius mauled. I'm stupid. I hope they punish us. We deserve it."

"I don't want to be punished," Peter mumbled.

James's reply was lethargic. "What?"

"Nothing, this is all just so terrible."

Silence descended upon them and James returned to staring at Lily's bed. Peter looked to the floor, then the ceiling, searched James's face for an emotion other than vacancy, and scraped some dirt from beneath his fingernail. None of this seemed real enough to worry about. He'd probably wake up now, with Sirius making fun of him for talking in his sleep.

A vivid picture of Remus's jaw's biting crushingly into Sirus's face seeped into his mind, and he shuddered. Sirius probably wouldn't be joking for quite a while.

Dumbledore and two nurses strode in. The headmaster's gaze swept the room, and though Dumbledore's eyes had rested for only a moment on Peter, he felt thoroughly searched.

The nurses hurried to Lily and began checking things and making minute adjustments. Dumbledore folded his long form into a chair next to James.

"So, James, Peter," he said. "Tell me what happened."

James took a deep, unsteady breath and began. He told Dumbledore everything, beginning with their monthly excursions and ending with chasing Mooney away from Lily's prostrate form. Peter added the events in the tunnel. He was honest, but throughout the story, he couldn't help but wonder if this was enough to be kicked out for, or if it would mean detentions until he graduated, or if Filch would be allowed to chain them up by their ankles.

When he was finished, Dumbledore nodded. "I hope you understand that this is very grave," he said.

"I understand," said James thickly. "If you want to expel me, I'll just go."

Dumbledore held up a hand. "No, I don't think that will be necessary," he said. Peter felt a warm wave of relief wash over him. "However, you both—all five of you—have broken a lot of rules, and the consequences are serious."

"Is Filch--?" Peter wondered.

"No, you will not be hung by your ankles," Dumbledore said quietly. "Obviously, that would not teach you a lesson."

"What will happen?" James asked. His tone suggested that he didn't care.

"Miss Evans and Mr. Black have been punished enough," said Dumbledore. "I believe that severe wounds and a lifetime of lycanthropy will be sufficient for them." (At the word 'lycanthropy,' James made a short, low moan and put his face in his hands again) "Mr. Lupin is not responsible for his actions tonight, and I will not punish him either. As for you…" he paused.

Peter watched him expectantly.

"I will decide your full punishments at another time," Dumbledore continued, "when it is later and I have thought of something that will teach you and help you."

"Alright," James said slowly. "Do you think Lily and Sirius will be okay?"

A brief look of pity crossed Dumbledore's face. "As you may already know, Miss Evans will be a werewolf for the rest of her life. I do not yet know Mr. Black's condition."

"Thank you, sir," James said in a tiny voice.

Peter didn't know what there was to thank him for.

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Sirius awoke for a brief moment to the word "Ennerverate." He blinked blurrily, enveloped in a haze of pain and darkness. A smooth voice said another spell, and he was shrinking to himself again. The pain didn't go away, and he tried to say something. What it was, Sirius didn't know.

The voice said a third spell and he was lifted smoothly from the ground. Everything went dark again.

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Reviewer Replies:

Luvin'it – Well, I'm glad you are (aren't I cheesy? Oh well, it's late). Thanks for reading.

Soft'N'fluffy – Yes, I suppose he is. And so are Sirius and Lupin, probably. I'll start rambling if I don't stop typing, so I'll end this with a good old Thanks for reading.

Hulabalooooooooo – Of course you're so loved. You reviewed me AND you have nine ooo's in your name. Well, three ooo's, but nine o's, and where was I again? I will read your story when I get the time, but school has been eating my life. I do like Marauder stories, though. (Could you tell?) And, though I already said this in the other replies, thanks for reading.


	6. A Famous Rat

_**UNDER THE FULL MOON**_

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Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, I'd Harry Potter in the evening, I'd Harry Potter in the morning, I'd Harry Potter all over this town… is that how the hammer song goes? Eh, who cares, I don't own Harry Potter.

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_CHAPTER Six – A FAMOUS RAT_

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A leaf, still wet with dew, landed soggily on Remus's face. He sat up, spluttering and wiping at his cheeks.

A moment later, he realized that he was not where he should be.

He sat between two thick trees in a pile of squelchy dead leaves. He stood, and stretched, stiff from a night on the ground. He spun in a slow circle in search of a familiar landmark. Nothing looked particularly spectacular; there were trees spanning out in all directions, as well as a few old stumps, bushes, rabbit pellets, and more wet leaves. The early sunlight filtered through the boughs above him and illuminated the dew-coated spider webs.

Why on earth was he here?

He strained to remember the last night's events. But the elusive images were like a half-forgotten dream. He remembered a vague feeling of frustration, he saw Lily, and the thought of James in his Prongs form stirred up an indistinct fear.

He gnawed at his knuckle, wishing that he could remember more from his lycanthropic hours. Biting… yes, there was something. He could remember tearing at something with his teeth.

Dread drenched him, and he felt suddenly cold. He must have broken away from James and Sirius and made a run for the Forbidden Forest.

Frustration…fear of James…biting…yes, it had to be.

He started walking in no particular direction, but his limbs felt unresponsive as the horrors could have occurred in the night unveiled themselves in his imagination.

Perhaps it was a joke. James and Sirius had played a joke on him and left him alone in the forest. What he got back to Hogwarts, they would laugh at him for worrying.

Hopefully.

"Lost?" someone asked.

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James stood between Sirius and Lily's beds, a hand resting on each, willing them both to heal. There was a lump in his throat, as if he was on the verge of tears, but he had felt on the verge of tears since some time last night. He hadn't cried yet.

He had stayed in the infirmary for the whole night, dozing in short, dream-filled naps. It was mid-morning now, and neither Lily nor Sirius had awoken.

As if she had been reading his thoughts, Lily slowly opened her eyes.

"Lily," James said, after she had sighed slightly and looked around. Her eyes swiveled up to him. "I'm sorry," he said awkwardly.

Slowly, Lily's eyelids drooped back down. "I don't want to talk to you, James," she said flatly. "I hate you. Where's Madam Pomfrey?"

"She's on the other side of the room. Do you want me to get her?" asked James quietly.

"Yes," Lily said. "Now, please, James, go away."

Perhaps Lily had no idea how crushing her words felt to James. Though, he realized, she probably did. He walked to Madam Pomfrey and said in a subdued voice," Lily wants you."

Madam Pomfrey hastened to the new werewolf's side.

James took a seat next to Sirius's bed. Hopefully, Sirius didn't hate him. But James would not blame him if he did.

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"And then I came in, and told them that Sirius was still in the tunnel!"

Peter was more popular than he had been in his life. The news that _something_ had happened was all around the school. A girl who had been in the infirmary with a broken nose (she was Ravenclaw's Keeper, and had been caught by a Bludger) had seen Lily brought in, and she had told her friends. A boy had noticed Sirius, and Professor Slughorn had not helped the matter by pretending nothing had happened.

As the only authority on the matter, Peter suddenly had a lot of friends. He had told the story a dozen times, without embellishing it at all, and people loved hearing it. He completely ignored the fact that Remus didn't want his lycanthropy known, or that his status as an Animagi shouldn't be known. After all, Peter reasoned, people would probably find out after this incident anyway.

Professor Binns rambled on in the background, but the students were far more interested in Peter.

"What exactly happened to Sirius?" a girl asked.

"Well…" Peter said, suddenly hesitant. The memory of Sirius's injuries still made him feel slightly nauseated. But everyone was leaning in, so he began. "Well, his face was all bitten up. Honestly, I couldn't see the one half of it for all the blood--" (A few people recoiled slightly at this) "His body was all bitten and scratched too, and his fur was matted with blood…" Now that he had gotten started, Peter felt a delicious satisfaction in telling the story, "And I think his leg was broken. He looked all crumpled up against the wall—"

A boy who had been leaning in from a few desks away, his chair tilted on two legs, fell to the floor with a crash. Professor Binns looked up.

"What was that?" he asked vaguely. "Henders, are you all right?"

The boy—Ted Henders—fixed his chair and sat down sheepishly. "Yes, sir," he said.

"Good," Binns said shortly, and resumed his lecture.

Peter resumed his own tale.

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He was swimming, he was floating, he was spinning through a reddish haze. He could see Mooney, teeth bared, and he could feel the endless throbbing bite of pain in his face, his chest, his left leg, everywhere…

But the darkness was falling away in layers, replaced by crisp, clean sheets and the smell of something medicinal. Now the red haze was formed only by his eyelids, and Sirius opened his eyes.

The light shot through his head like an arrow and he squeezed his eyes shut. A tiny moan escaped him.

"Sirius? Sirius, are you awake?" a concerned voice asked. A voice. James's voice.

Sirius mumbled something unintelligible.

"How are you feeling? I'm sorry, Sirius, I'm sorry."

Sirius squinted his eyes open once more, and James's head came into focus somewhere above him. He tried to reassure his friend by smiling, but the movement made pain explode in his cheek and he blacked out again.

The next thing he heard was James called for Madam Pomfrey. Something pricked his arm, and the pain began to recede.

He opened his eyes for a third time, and the light wasn't nearly as agonizing. "Hullo, James," he slurred.

"Sirius, I'm sorry," James repeated pathetically. There were deep circles under his eyes, and his hair was messier than usual.

"Don't worry," Sirius said. "What happened?"

James looked at something to Sirius's right. He considered turning his head to see what it was, but that seemed like a project for another occasion.

"James?" he prodded. "What happened?"

"Well," James said thickly. "Lily was bitten."

"I'm sorry," Sirius said vaguely. The effects of whatever Madam Pomfrey had done were ebbing away, and the pain was returning. "She must _really_ hate you now."

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Please review and let me know what you think—feedback really helps me (And reviewers get free hugs and/or telepathic chocolate).


	7. A Mysterious Centaur

_**UNDER THE FULL MOON**_

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Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, I'd Harry Potter in the evening, I'd Harry Potter in the morning, I'd Harry Potter all over this town… is that how the hammer song goes? Eh, who cares, I don't own Harry Potter.

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Note: This story takes place before Snape knows that Lupin is a werewolf.

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_CHAPTER SEVEN – A MYSTERIOUS CENTAUR_

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James sat across from Professor Dumbledore, his hands folded neatly in his lap. He wondered vaguely if the headmaster noticed that they shook or that he clasped them as tightly as he could.

"You really haven't found him?" James asked. His voice seemed to have risen by at least an octave since Dumbledore had asked to speak with him.

Professor Dumbledore shook his head. "James," he said in a warm, reassuring voice, "this is not as bad as you seem to be taking it. The forbidden forest is very large, and a werewolf, especially when frightened or in a frenzy, can travel very fast. It is unlikely that he was harmed last night. Our most immediate problem is finding Remus before he resorts to hunting rats for food."

James's eyes narrowed slightly in doubt, but he nodded. He could see Peter in the corner of his eye. His friend was staring absentmindedly at the floor, and James felt a surge of annoyance. He was sure Peter cared about Remus, but couldn't the boy show it a little bit?

No, he shouldn't be mad at Peter. This was his fault.

"I only wanted to talk to you because I have decided on the first part of my punishment for both of you," Dumbledore continued.

Peter's head jerked upright. "What will that be, sir?"

"You two are to help in looking for him during the daylight hours that you do not have class. This will go on until we find him—which I expect to be very soon," he added, his blue eyes lingering on James. "There is magic that I will show you to help you locate him, though I expect you already know some."

James's thoughts flashed the to Marauder's Map that lay concealed under his bed.

"Can you do that?' Dumbledore asked.

"Yes," James said.

Peter nodded mutely.

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"I said, are you lost?" the voice repeated. It was deep and melodious, but unsettlingly so. Remus pivoted and nearly slipped on the wet leaves. When he righted himself, he stared up at the rippling muscles of an enormous centaur.

He was speechless, and stood staring for a moment before the centaur spoke again.

"I would rather not have to repeat myself," the centaur said. His voice seemed to drop even lower.

Remus found his voice. "Yes, actually, I'm—I am," he stammered.

"And where are you lost from?" the centaur queried.

Remus answered in a quiet, voice. "Hogwarts."

The centaur leaned down and cupped a hand around his ear. "Eh?"

"Hogwarts," Remus said clearly. The centaur didn't seem to be much of a threat, but it was impossible to be sure…

The centaur's eyes narrowed, and he regarded Remus with a look of—what? Suspicion? He folded his arms across his chest.

"I was lost last night," Remus clarified hurriedly. "I'm sorry… am I in your territory or something?"

Ignoring this question completely, the centaur asked, "Are you the werewolf?"

Remus was struck speechless for a second time. The centaur sighed gustily. "I said, are you the werewolf?" he repeated loudly.

"Yes, yes, I am," Remus squeaked. "How did you know? Did I hurt anyone in the forest?" he cleared his throat. "Please tell me!"

Shaking his head, the centaur reached down and patted Remus's tousled hair. Remus barely noticed.

"Please tell me," he said again.

"Why don't you come with me," the centaur said.

Remus opened his mouth.

"Yes, I definitely think you should come with me," the centaur added. He glared at Remus and folded his burly arms across his chest, which made the werewolf entirely sure that this was not a jovial request.

Deciding it would be best not to protest when the centaur could probably rip him in half, Remus closed his mouth and nodded.

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Severus Snape approached Peter and James during their lunch break. He slid into the seat next to Peter, and Peter imagined that he could smell a foul odor wafting from the Slytherin.

An uncharacteristic grin was plastered on Severus's face.

"What do you want, Snape?" James asked. "You know, I'm not really in the mood to torture you right now."

"I heard about your good friends Sirius, Lily, and Remus," Snape said. "Such a pity."

James turned his head slowly to Snape and growled, "If you don't go away now, I'll curse your head off."

Severus made a pouting face. "Oh, I'm so scared," he said sarcastically. "Though I suppose I should be, considering that you lost one friend, maimed the other, and turned the love of your life into a werewolf. I'd hate to see what you could do to someone you don't like."

"Who told you all that?" James gritted through clenched teeth. His fist had tightened around his fork.

"Oh, a friend told me," Severus said. Peter winced.

"Snape, if you don't either tell me who told you that or leave me alone, I'll castrate you with this fork." James's voice was eerily serious.

Severus tilted his head and the grin on his face spread wider. "I'm sorry, I meant that _your_ friend told me." He put an arm around Peter. "Didn't you, Pettigrew?"

Peter squirmed from the Slytherin's grasp, but his cheeks burned with a red hot blush. He could hear Severus laughing, but the face that James had turned his fury upon Peter felt much more pressing.

"Oh, I do love my victories," Severus said, standing up. With one last snort of laugher, he sauntered back to the Slytherin table.

With effort that even Peter could feel, James set the fork down on the table.

"_You_ told _him_?" he asked through still-clenched teeth.

Peter's blush had drained away and he felt suddenly numb. "It was just that…I mean… people wanted to know what was going on, and they were asking me so many questions… I just had to tell them…"

"Them?" James cried. "How many people did you tell?"

"Well… a lot," Peter stammered. "I'm sorry! I couldn't help it! There were all asking questions, they all wanted to know what had happened! I had to tell them! I'm sorry!"

"Oh god," James moaned. "Peter, how many people know?"

Peter shrugged stiffly. "I really don't know… the people that I told probably told other people…"

"I have to go," James said. He stood up, leaving Peter sitting alone.

"Where are you going?" asked Peter.

"I don't know." James stalked out of the Great Hall and Peter watched his receding back.

Somehow, he didn't feel too wretched.

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"Lily?" Sirius said.

No response.

"Lily, if you're awake, would you please at least grunt at me?"

"What, Sirius?" Lily's voice was tired. Sirius wished he could turn around and look at her, but he had discovered that it was best not to move. Still, staring at the ceiling made him feel as though he was missing something.

"Well," Sirius began, "We're the only ones in here, so I thought I might try to strike up a conversation."

A sigh drifted toward Sirius from Lily's direction. "It is rather boring, isn't it? But you know what, Sirius? I would rather be bored than talk to you."

"Suit yourself, then," Sirius said. "But I'll have you know, I _tried_ to stop Remus from getting to you."

"I can see that," Lily said flatly. She took a deep breath. "It's not you I'm angry at, really. You've paid your due. It's James… oh, I hate him."

Sirius was silent, contemplating a response that would be loyal to James but that wouldn't make Lily too angry. He settled with, "He likes you a lot."

Lily snorted. "I can't believe you're still standing up for him after he did… this to you."

They both knew what _this_ was.

"Yes, well…" Tell her it was my idea and she'll probably get up and throw me off the bed. Tell her it was James and he'll never forgive me. "Yes." Vaguely agreeing worked in most circumstances. James could probably break the real news to her some other time.

They both lay in awkward silence for a moment. As it stretched on, Sirius wondered if he should break it, but Lily was faster.

"You're certainly right that this is boring," she said. "So. Let's make conversation. What classes are you taking this year?"

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Tada! And that, ladies and gentleman, is the end of chapter seven.

As you can see, this story hasn't gotten many reviews… so if you're reading it and don't hate it too much, please leave me one!


	8. A Strange Prophesy

_**UNDER THE FULL MOON**_

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Disclaimer: HP can stand for hairy potatoes, happy porcupines, helpless people, horrified penguins, or (and this is my personal favorite) Harry Potter. By the way, I don't own Harry Potter.

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_CHAPTER EIGHT – A STRANGE PROPHECY_

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Remus followed the centaur at what he hoped was a safe distance. The centaur seemed to move very lightly over the loam, despite his massive size, and it made Remus very aware of his own feet crunching on the leaves.

The centaur led him along a winding path through the forest. Though the sun was rising, the foliage above blocked more light than it could muster. The growing gloom only added to Remus's feeling of dark foreboding.

Thick vines snaked around ancient trees and barred the path, though the centaur charged through them and allowed Remus to follow in his wake. The werewolf could hear the chirping cries of strange animals, and he shivered. Was there any chance the centaur would allow him to turn back?

Probably not.

By the time they stopped, Remus's feet ached. The Forbidden Forest was more massive than he had ever imagined.

The centaur suddenly stopped and stood, still and poised, like a mythological statue.

Remus allowed a few seconds of silence to pass before asked, "Where are we?"

The answer came from somewhere behind his left shoulder. "We're in the Centaur's Clearing." The voice, though still strong, belonged to a shrunken, wrinkled centaur with wild white hair and a silver-gray coat. "You're the first Hogwarts student to come here in a very long time."

Remus was speechless. He felt as if he should at least say, "I'm honored," but the words stuck in his throat.

The ancient centaur continued. "Look up," he commended. Remus obeyed. A small patch of clear blue sky shone through the oppressive foliage. He turned his gaze back to the centaurs. The centaur that had led him to the Centaur's Clearing now stood beside his older counterpart.

"What am I looking at?" Remus wondered.

"This," the young centaur said with flourish, "is the only area in the deep forest that the sky can be seen."

Remus waited for the centaur to elaborate on why he was here.

"As you probably know," the old centaur said, "We learn from the stars and the planets." He paused, and Remus nodded. "We use this spot for watching some of the most important celestial events."

Remus glanced up through the hole again.

"Usually, the lives of humans are not foretold in the stars," the old centaur said gravely. "But, two nights ago, we learned grave news."

Baffled, Remus asked, "But what has this got to do with me?"

The elderly centaur bowed his head. "Sadly, this is not your news. It should not be your burden. However, you were the only Hogwarts student we chanced upon, and you have important ties to the subjects of our knowledge."

Curiosity was overpowering Remus's fear. He asked, "What is this prophecy?"

"Prophecy?" the old centaur barked. "No, this isn't a prophecy. Prophecies are the work of foolish human psychics. This is knowledge. Knowledge invariably comes true, whether it is tampered with or not. It is _how_ it comes true that will matter."

"Sorry, then," said Remus. "What is the knowledge?"

The centaur's eyes pierced Remus's locking his gaze in a steady stare. "If you cannot make things right with your friends and enemies now, there is no hope for the future."

Remus blinked slowly and turned the words over in his mind. "What does that mean?" he asked. "Is there more?"

Both centaurs shook their heads in a firm but silent "no." "You must tell no one of this, not even your closest friends."

What will happen if I do? Remus wondered. He planned to, as soon as he returned, tell James, Sirius, and Peter. Perhaps they could make some sense of it.

He felt a stab of anxiety as he remembered that something had gone wrong the night before. Maybe he wouldn't have anyone to tell.

"Follow me," the large young centaur ordered, and walked away from the clearing.

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A wave of pain splashed over Sirius, and he ground his teeth in an effort to keep from yelling aloud. When it had passed, he muttered, "You think they'd be able to do something for us, don't you."

Lily sighed. "That would certainly be nice. But I suppose they're just not so good at treating werewolf wounds." Her voice was a mix of contemplative and bitter.

"Sorry," Sirius said. "You're probably worse off than me. My problems aren't permanent."

"Permanent," Lily repeated. "It souns so final."

"That is the definition of 'permanent,'" Sirius said lightly. The pain had subsided. Lily's only reply was an exasperated groan. "Fine, I'm sorry," he said. "You know, it can't be that bad. Remus has been a werewolf since age five."

"And does he enjoy it?" Lily asked.

"Not exactly," Sirius said hesitantly. "But he lives with it."

Lily fell silent.

"You know," Sirius said, "I'm so bored I almost want to read for pleasure."

Lily laughed, but was interrupted by the opening of the infirmary doors. Sirius could see from the corner of his eye that James had just walked in. He didn't look too happy.

Storming over to Siriu's bed, James exclaimed, "Do you know what Peter's been doing? He told the entire school about what happened. So now they know about you, and Remus, and Lily—everything. He kept saying he had to tell them, but you know he just wanted to be popular for once."

"It's nice to see you too, James," Sirius cut in quietly. James's loud entrance had made his head throb again. "Calm down. No one is blaming you for this, and you can't blame really Peter. People would have found out anyway, or just made up their own stories. I'd personally rather have been mauled by a werewolf than trapped in a killer toilet or something."

James slumped visibly. "But he even told Snape. Snape! And Snape came over and laughed at us, at you, and ugh… Snape!"

"We already knew that Snape was a git," Sirius said. "Here's an idea. You figure out some fun revenge, and let me know what it is. Then I'll help you the best I can without moving too much."

"I'm sorry, Sirius," James said. He glanced at the clock that hung above Sirius's bed. "Well, I've got a class now. Bye."

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Peter sighed loudly as he mispronounced the finding spell that Dumbledore had taught him and turned his robes a noxious, bright pink. "James…" he said. James's wand already hung in midair, pointed into the deep woods. A couple feet to their left, some teachers were casting the same spell.

James repeated the incantation, and Peter finally got it right. "Do you have the Map?" he asked.

James answered by tapping his wand against the map and stating, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

Of course he was up to good, Peter thought. They were looking for their missing friend. That was probably the best thing the Marauder's Map could be used to do.

"He's not even on here," James said incredulously, his voice laced with panic. "How could that be? We mapped out so much of the forest. What if he's…"

"Fine," Peter cut in. "Remember what Dumbledore said? Now, let's go find him."

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